RFE/RL Minsk correspondent Alaksandra Dynko reported from a wave of historic protests that took place across Belarus in February and March and ended in a police crackdown that saw the arrest of hundreds of peaceful demonstrators and journalists, including RFE/RL Belarus Service correspondent Halina Abakunchyk. In this episode of Heard It From Her, Alaksandra explains how a policy of penalizing the unemployed as “social parasites” spurred nationwide outrage, discusses the women’s face of unemployment in Belarus, and analyses the connections with recent events in Russia.

In February, Russia passed a law decriminalizing some forms of domestic violence, a move that rights groups have called a step backwards for Russia and dangerous for women and children. What’s behind this law, and how has the discussion in Russian media reflected and shaped the views of Russian society? In this episode of Heard It From Her, we speak with Irina Lagunina, a senior journalist and editor with RFE/RL’s Russian Service who has been covering Russian politics, economics, international relations, and human rights for more than 20 years.

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In this episode of ‘Heard It From Her’ we spoke with Pavla Holcova, the founder and director of the Czech Center for Investigative Journalism. Among the center’s major projects was a collaboration with RFE/RL contributors Khadija Ismayilova and Nushabe Fatullayeva looking into the financial dealings of Azerbaijan’s first family. She told us about how a stretch under house arrest in Cuba led to her start in investigative journalism, and about how she sleuths out official corruption and other dodgy deals some high profile figures would rather keep secret.

In this episode of Heard It From Her, we spoke with Iranian journalist Azadeh Tavakoli, who is making a documentary film about the treatment of Christians and other religious minorities in Iran.

It’s uncertain just how many Christians live in Iran, and those who have converted from Islam worship in secret to avoid arrest, beatings, or worse. RFE/RL's Radio Farda journalist Azadeh Tavakoli explores this secretive world in a documentary she is producing about the history of Christians in her country and the treatment of Christians and other religious minorities in contemporary Iran. She hopes the film will foster tolerance toward beleaguered minority communities, as well as provide hope to those practicing their faith in fear.

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About This Podcast

Heard It From Her is a conversation with a woman in media with a story to tell. Each month we’ll speak with a journalist from RFE/RL or other independent media in our broadcast region to talk about her reporting, the issues she confronts, and the political, societal, and cultural context in which she works. For more on women in media, follow Lady Liberty on Facebook and Twitter.